Bridge.



H. E. MATTESON.

BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. Z1, 1913. 1,067,616, Patented July 15, 1913.

ATTORNEYS narran s'rnfrns PATENT orme.

HARRY E. MATTESON, OF MAUD, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES W.

FRIEND, OF TECUMSEH, OKLAHOMA.

BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 21, 1913. Serial No. 743,315.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HARRY E. MAr'rnsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a. resident of Maud, in the county of Pottawatomie and State of Oklahoma, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Bridges, of which the following is a. specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bridges, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of mv invention is to provide a novel form of bridge in which the device is self-bracing, e'. e., as the load upon the bridge is increased the bracing effect of the brace reds is increased so that there is no danger of the bridge collapsing through undue strain.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bridge in which the parts are braced without necessitating the cutting or weakening of the timbers.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Wy invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application in which- Figure 1 is a bottom view of the device, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 is an end view.

In carrying out my invention I provide transverse end beams 1 and a central transverse beam 2, the latter extending below the end beams, as will be seen from Fig. 2. On top of these transverse members is a series of longitudinal stringers 3. On each side of the stringers are the longitudinal members 5 which comprise the chords. The chords 5 are spaced apart at intervals by means of spacing blocks 6. Bolts 7 pass through t-hese spacing blocks and also through the chords holding these part-s firmly together. A floor S is provided which rests on the stringers and a railing 9 is secured to the sides of the outermost chord members.

In the drawings I have shown each side of the bridge as being provided with three chord members which are spaced apart. On each side of the cent-ral chord member is a rod 10 which passes underneath the beam 2, as shown in Fig. 2, thence between the chord members and through end spacing blocks 11. The outer sides of the end spacing blocks and the end of the chord members are beveled as shown at 12. The plane ofthese beveled portions is at right angles to the axis of the rods. Abutment plates 13 are provided through which the ends of the rods l0 pass, these ends being secured by means of nuts 14. The space between the end cross members 1 and the floor 8 is filled by means of a plate or board 15.

4From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. YWhen the load comes on the bridge the tendency is to flex the latter at its central point. As the beam moves downwardly however it causes a strain to be put on the brace rods 10. This causes the strain to be taken up by the chord members 5. The heavier the load, z'. e., t-he more the tendency to iex the center of the bridge, the greater will be t-he bracing effect of the rods.

I desire to call attention to the fact that in the construction ofthis bridge the chord members 5 are not weakened as in bridges of other types. The brace rods pass between the chord members, the latter being bound together by the spacing blocks 6 and the rbolts 7. The needle beam itself is not weakened since there are no bolt holes through it.

The device constructed as described provides a simple and inexpensive bridge. It is however very strong, owing to the fact that the parts are self-bracing and that the chords are not weakened. The end members may rest on the tops ofpiling 16 or upon any other suitable foundation. In the drawing I have shown a central span, but it will be understood that the bridge may consistof any number of spans built as described. Changes in dimensions, sizes of parts, and of materials obviously might also be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a bridge, transverse end members, a transverse beam, longitudinal stringers carried by said transverse beam, longitudinal chord members on each side of said stringers, brace rods arranged to pass underneath said transverse beam, and abutment members carried by the ends of said brace rods and arranged to engage the ends of said chord members for exerting an end thrust on said chord members.

Patented July 15, 1913. Y

2. In a bridge, transverse end members, a transverse beam, longitudinal stringers earried by said beam, a plurality of longitudinal chord members on eaeh side of said stringers, brace rods having their ends sei cured to the ends of said Chord members, said brace rods passing underneath and engaging said beam.

3. In a. bridge, transverse end members, a transverse beam, longitudinal stringere Carried. by said beam, a plurality of chord members on each side oit' said stringere, a plurality of brace rods having their ends arranged to extend between the ends of the chord members, the middle portion of said brace rods being arranged to pass underneath and to engage the bottom of said transverse beam, a plate arranged to bear on the ends of said chord members, the ends oit' said brace rods being arranged to pass through said plates, and means for securing the ends to the plates.

4. In a bridge, t ansverse end members, a

t'ansverse beam arranged to extend below said end members, longitudinal stringere carried by said end members, said stringere b-eing disposed above and being partly supported by said transverse beam, a plurality of longitudinal chord members on eaeh side ot said stringers, spacing blocks between said chord` members, bolts arranged to pass through said spacing blocks and said Chord members for holding the members together, a plurality of brace rods having their ends arranged to pass between the ends ot' the Chord members, and plates arranged to bear on the contiguous ends of the Chord members, the ends of said rods being arranged to pass through said plates, nuts for securing said bolts to said rods, said rods being arranged to pass underneath and to engage said beam.

HARRY E. MATTESON. lVitnesses J. F. FLOYD, J. B. BEAvER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

